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Well of course these are just my views and people are free to agree or disagree with them as they see fit. As I said I thought it had potential but it was just over too fast. Oh and I know it says #1 on the cover so there is a chance of more, but what more is there? We have already seen Adam go to grayskull (sort of) and get the sword and become He-Man for the first time, it is all there in the comic and yet it lacks the depth of past versions of his origin

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New review up

This time I took a look at the 6th digital comic. You know...the Orko one.

I didn't really care for it. Much like the Skeletor origin DC did, it felt like the middle act of a three act story, rather than a complete tale. I did like the art in both books, but it's a shame both were saddled with what seemed like poorly written fragments of a larger story.

Neither fit my ideas for the origins of these characters, but that's OK. I'm cool with there being different interpretations, but sadly, like every other print issue that DC has put out (I enjoyed most of the digital issues), they seemed half-baked, at best.

Ongoing DC Comic series - Desperate Times

I agree with you entirely – and the many good points you make - and in fact believe that you have been rather over-kind to the writer, whose capacity to trivialize the momentous and confuse the obvious is almost unmatched in this context.

Just one further example to add to your many: do royal princes really banter their way insouciantly through memorial services to those lost in the cause of Eternia’s freedom, those who gave their lives to save them? If so, then this is no Eternia that I, for one, would recognize. And why would I - or anyone else - want to?

But, then, this Adam is an unfeeling brat, this Teela a bloodthirsty ----- , this Randor a shallow buffoon and this He-Man a brutal killer – and our sympathies are thus inexorably shifted towards the Horde, who at least have an excuse for their behavior.

One can only hope that Despera will do a good job and conquer Eternia (which these days seems to fall more frequently than France) and rapidly do away with this unlikeable and shallow crowd of supposed ‘heroes’. After all, this would surely satisfy the demands (of some) for ‘realism’ and buckets of blood.

But, somehow, I don’t see Giffen being that audacious; bold enough to turn most of the widely accepted characterization on its head (and - why?) and twist the tails of loyal MotU adherents, but not, I suspect, brave enough to follow through to the logical extrapolation.

So we are stuck with these truly dislikeable creations until either Mattel tires of the whole ill-judged experiment (and, going by the less than enthusiastic response almost across the board demonstrated in reviews, that may well be sooner than some think) or until DC finds a writer competent to handle the material. I wonder what Val Staples is doing these days..?

But, in the interim, more of the standard DC blood and banter, edge and attitude, with the Eternian mythos warped to fit that all-embracing straitjacket.

I haven't gotten mine to read yet, but I already know I'm not going to like it, I like my He-Man more Filmation, but would love to see it more towards say, Ben 10, still comical in places (but without the constant comedy of Ben 10) but have some really serious kick ass throw downs where someone could get actually hurt, but just short of actually dying.

I prefer Teela to be stern and take charge, but not to be *****y.... From the sounds of it all, DC may mock Filmation, but in my eyes Filmation has the far superior characters and story. Just yet another reason I don't like Comics much at all. DC may take charge with Superheroes that have been their mainstay for decades, but in the world of MOTU, it's better left to someone else. Disagree all you like, this is simply my opinion. There's no place in MOTU for attitudes, egos and all out murder. I'll read them just to have something to do, but I will likely not be able to see them objectively, especially when it's something I find out of place or that seems just wrong.

I like DC for Superman, Batman, Green Lantern....etc, but I'll stick with Lou for MOTU.

I'm a little surprised...isn't Giffen supposed to be really good? Heck Robinson is supposed to be a great writer too. Howard Porter used to draw JLA when it was red hot so many years ago...

I have this suspicion that this new hardcore MOTU might have been mandated by Mattel. All of the fiction is heading that way.

Well, I think that you hit the nail clean on the head when you pointed out that, while Staples is a true-blue MotU fan, Giffen has only a passing interest in the mythos - and this must surely be reflected in the quality of the outcome. He just doesn't seem to understand certain key points about how Eternia functions. It's not that all change is bad; it's not that simple. No, the problem seems to be that the changes he has instituted really don't work - and militate against the existing canon in a way that causes an internal tension, even a friction which is not being well-received at all.

You see, I genuinely don't think that it's possible to make such fundamental changes in such a casual, almost frivolous way, and then just ascribe it to a re-imagining or new interpretation. This world is just too well and widely known for a clean new start to be possible - there is too much baggage being carried - and the resulting mish-mash presented here appears to please almost nobody. The bizarre characterization is the most obvious example - but there are plenty of others - and the outcome is thus deeply flawed, because it falls between two stools; it neither wins new converts, nor appeals to diehard fans. Which is - in my view at least - a damn' shame. And it cannotbe good business.

There are some VERY scathing reviews out there - Wolfy's is mild by comparison - and not very many to the positive. The overall tenor of the 30+ I've now read is either antipathy or indifference - and this is not just from Eternia-heads - not by any means. I really don't think that this is doing MotU any good at all - and that saddens me, because it could - and should. But only if handled aright.

Now, I'm sure that Giffen IS good - in his own field and context - but, plainly, this is not it. Robinson's early exit was a mystery, too. None of this DC series seems to have had an easy birth - and you will have noticed the almost complete lack of continuity/conformity between the 'Origins' and the rest of the comics - which is also much remarked upon.
It seems to me that the essential problem is that DC are trying to make MotU conform with the rest of their almost uniformly bleak output - but that it hasn't worked, and that people have noticed and are not impressed. I suspect that, without necessarily wanting to maintain the Filmation world in aspic, there are many very uncomfortable with this darker vision of a world that most still turn to for an escape from the threat of too harsh a reality. For my part I can accept some darkness - but I cannot countenance a supposed He-Man who kills humans who are, against the Power he wields, helpless. And I'm no pacifist; I just want one unsullied hero left - somewhere long ago and far away.

You make a very intriguing point about the ultimate source of this; does the impetus stem from DC - or Mattel? I also would love to know the answer to that. Or is HordakAlpha right that Giffen and Co. were given complete artistic freedom - and not much editorial input (which really shows....)

But, either way, I shouldn't be at all surprised if this series folded a few months down the line. And, again, I am in two minds about that - and, really, should I be in that postion?
I would far, far rather not be - but at present I would, bluntly, rather see it done well - or not at all. This warped vision is doing real harm to the brand and could well end any chance of a well-written and convincing comic series for another ten years.

I actually hope that I'm wrong (in some ways) but only time will tell.

Well, I think that you hit the nail clean on the head when you pointed out that, while Staples is a true-blue MotU fan, Giffen has only a passing interest in the mythos - and this must surely be reflected in the quality of the outcome. He just doesn't seem to understand certain key points about how Eternia functions. It's not that all change is bad; it's not that simple. No, the problem seems to be that the changes he has instituted really don't work - and militate against the existing canon in a way that causes an internal tension, even a friction which is not being well-received at all.

You see, I genuinely don't think that it's possible to make such fundamental changes in such a casual, almost frivolous way, and then just ascribe it to a re-imagining or new interpretation. This world is just too well and widely known for a clean new start to be possible - there is too much baggage being carried - and the resulting mish-mash presented here appears to please almost nobody. The bizarre characterization is the most obvious example - but there are plenty of others - and the outcome is thus deeply flawed, because it falls between two stools; it neither wins new converts, nor appeals to diehard fans. Which is - in my view at least - a damn' shame. And it cannotbe good business.

Oh, it's possible to make great changes to a brand's identity and still have it "work". Michael Bay did it with Transformers. Now we have a totally different Bumblebee character from the 80's version.

You make a very intriguing point about the ultimate source of this; does the impetus stem from DC - or Mattel? I also would love to know the answer to that. Or is HordakAlpha right that Giffen and Co. were given complete artistic freedom - and not much editorial input (which really shows....)

But, either way, I shouldn't be at all surprised if this series folded a few months down the line. And, again, I am in two minds about that - and, really, should I be in that postion?
I would far, far rather not be - but at present I would, bluntly, rather see it done well - or not at all. This warped vision is doing real harm to the brand and could well end any chance of a well-written and convincing comic series for another ten years.

I actually hope that I'm wrong (in some ways) but only time will tell.

It could be possible that Giffen was on the same page with TG, if HordakAlpha is right. But the feel of this new MOTU fiction is similar to that of the bios, the other new MOTU fiction out there. We have a He-Man who kills and death in MOTU. Not good, character driven death mind you, but more like shock value "let's kill of a character every quarter" death.

Oh, it's possible to make great changes to a brand's identity and still have it "work". Michael Bay did it with Transformers. Now we have a totally different Bumblebee character from the 80's version.

It could be possible that Giffen was on the same page with TG, if HordakAlpha is right. But the feel of this new MOTU fiction is similar to that of the bios, the other new MOTU fiction out there. We have a He-Man who kills and death in MOTU. Not good, character driven death mind you, but more like shock value "let's kill of a character every quarter" death.

Sorry, but I don't know anything at all about Transformers, so really cannot comment! I take your point though; I just don't think that it has been shown to be working in this context - and a plethora of reviews seem to agree. I can't think of all that many others, either - at least not in the classical mould. But that doesn't mean they don't exist, of course. All the same, this new and grim appearance of Eternia seems to please few - and may indeed prove to be a threat to the brand - at least in its comic-publication form.

Again, apologies for demonstrating woeful ignorance, but - these particular MotU bios to which you refer? Where are they to be found? I'm not - I think - familiar with them, though have certainly seen some. And do they have any authority?

And I agree with you wholeheartedly; death per se in MotU is not taboo (though He-Man killing mortals most certainly IS - or the Power is utterly meaningless) and it will happen. However, as you say, there is a BIG difference between a death brought about by the demands of character and good storytelling, and the rancid and debased imperative of killing off a character regularly merely to shock the fans and titillate the bloodmonkeys.

(Ah - to explain; bloodmonkey is a term coined by British rankers to denote those civilians who have never seen bloodshed - away from a screen - but who demand it insatiably for vicarious kicks - from a safe distance... It reminds one of the late-Roman mobile vulgus at its worst. Needless to say, this is the politest of several such derogatory terms in use among the men. The others are much less respectful.)

And what are the odds on Dekker surviving the next two DC issues? Not good, one imagines....

Had a bit of flick through a while ago, Wolfy. I agree, this isn't the best He-man origin by any means. There's no real sense of drama and no 'oomph' to the story. It just sort of happens and feels incredibly clumsy and ill-thought out. The 200X handled Adam becoming He-man much much better. There was a clear sense of destiny and Adam's place in the story and not an sort of '"ooops, something just happened for some reason".

Sorry, but I don't know anything at all about Transformers, so really cannot comment! I take your point though; I just don't think that it has been shown to be working in this context - and a plethora of reviews seem to agree. I can't think of all that many others, either - at least not in the classical mould. But that doesn't mean they don't exist, of course. All the same, this new and grim appearance of Eternia seems to please few - and may indeed prove to be a threat to the brand - at least in its comic-publication form.

Bayformers took Transformers' canon and reinvented it for the masses. Same basic concepts and characters from G1, but the characters act pretty different and some of the situations are different. Optimus Prime becomes quite homicidal in later sequels without apparent reason (you could argue that he was tired of friends like Jazz dying in the war with the Decepticons, but we never get a scene explaining that). During production of the first movie, the fans were on the warpath about the changes. Some fans are still divided as Bayformers is certainly polarizing among Transformers fans.

In the end, it was just another canon take of the characters.

Again, apologies for demonstrating woeful ignorance, but - these particualr MotU bios to which you refer? Where are they to be found? I'm not - I think - familiar with them, though have certainly seen some. And do they have any authority?

The bios are the official canon for the current Classics figures. The bios are predominantly Pre-Filmation and MYP influenced, but have had some Filmation in recent years. The bios are pieces of a larger story; with each new figure, some gaps are filled. The DC Comics canon is something else entirely.

Had a bit of flick through a while ago, Wolfy. I agree, this isn't the best He-man origin by any means. There's no real sense of drama and no 'oomph' to the story. It just sort of happens and feels incredibly clumsy and ill-thought out. The 200X handled Adam becoming He-man much much better. There was a clear sense of destiny and Adam's place in the story and not an sort of '"ooops, something just happened for some reason".

I agree that 2000x had a great origin story for He-Man. Also, I was always puzzled why Filmation never did an origin of He-Man story like they did for She-Ra. DC's version seemed to only give part of the story, but maybe when Adora becomes She-Ra we may get more of an explanation of the swords and the destiny of the twins.

Thanks for this link; I will most certainly take a look when I get back from the exercize after next week.

I was just curious as to their actual authority (ie what makes them official?) Are they, in effect, fanfiction?

I would be interested to learn whence the killer He-Man is derived - unless, of course, you refer to slaying demons etc. in the pre-filmation canon? As you know, my scruple is like his - no mortals/humans die by his sword. Robots, rock-monsters and demons are - like Orcs - disposable.

My own (unofficial !) idea about the pre-Filmation period is that these are Eternia's legends - based on some truth, but, as with the tales of Arthur, Siegfried or Lemminkainen, effectively folk-memory guarded down the generations from oral sources rather than proven historical sources. That would explain the discrepancies in tone and content from what comes later and recorded history can be said to have begun. It's a thought, anyway...

Again, cheers for the link and explanation; I will follow-up once back.

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by He-Metayer

I agree that 2000x had a great origin story for He-Man. Also, I was always puzzled why Filmation never did an origin of He-Man story like they did for She-Ra. DC's version seemed to only give part of the story, but maybe when Adora becomes She-Ra we may get more of an explanation of the swords and the destiny of the twins.

Had a bit of flick through a while ago, Wolfy. I agree, this isn't the best He-man origin by any means. There's no real sense of drama and no 'oomph' to the story. It just sort of happens and feels incredibly clumsy and ill-thought out. The 200X handled Adam becoming He-man much much better. There was a clear sense of destiny and Adam's place in the story and not an sort of '"ooops, something just happened for some reason".

Yes - agreed completely; I find it - implausible - the Fialkov tale - not least how Adam and his uncle Skelly, while fighting to the death, hold a discussion on how Adam learned to fight; "So you're a natural..." Not to mention how the Sorceress tells Adam that his father had failed him by letting him be a normal teenager; while, of course, she and the Power had sat by and watched this happen and done - nothing .... Bizarre, even by DC standards. But the whole comic was feeble and pointless - and had been done infinitely better ten years earlier, too, by writers who knew their Eternia.

Oh, it's possible to make great changes to a brand's identity and still have it "work". Michael Bay did it with Transformers. Now we have a totally different Bumblebee character from the 80's version.

The movies were so so, and after being told TF4 was going to be a reboot, now it's a sort of continuation....seriously???? Come on already.

And it's not just Bay with the redesigns, take your pick, there are a thousand Bumblebee's now (as well as friggin' Ratchet)....seriously, make another character a main character already, show Mirage some love for God sakes....I'm glad Prime gave Wheeljack some light, albeit can't say I'm 100% on board with him being a damn Ninja over being a Mad Scientist, but whatever, at least they're using him.

Not to mention the damn reused lines in Transformers from The '86 animated movie, as well a little plagiarism tossing in some Star Trek Dialog just because Nimoy was Sentinel....come up with some original stuff Bay and writers....and for God sakes, make the story tighter for 4.

Megatron is dead, are they going to use Galvatron?....Starscream bit the dust, Ironhide, Jazz, Shockwave....Cybertron even went boom....And they're not going to reboot the series, but tie it in?

Thanks for this link; I will most certainly take a look when I get back from the exercize after next week.

I was just curious as to their actual authority (ie what makes them official?) Are they, in effect, fanfiction?

Well, they are printed on the back of official Mattel Masters of the Universe Classics action figures, so I'm not sure how much more official you can get. Also, DC Comics has used elements of them a few times, so it appears that Mattel sees them as binding, too.

The movies were so so, and after being told TF4 was going to be a reboot, now it's a sort of continuation....seriously???? Come on already.

And it's not just Bay with the redesigns, take your pick, there are a thousand Bumblebee's now (as well as friggin' Ratchet)....seriously, make another character a main character already, show Mirage some love for God sakes....I'm glad Prime gave Wheeljack some light, albeit can't say I'm 100% on board with him being a damn Ninja over being a Mad Scientist, but whatever, at least they're using him.

Not to mention the damn reused lines in Transformers from The '86 animated movie, as well a little plagiarism tossing in some Star Trek Dialog just because Nimoy was Sentinel....come up with some original stuff Bay and writers....and for God sakes, make the story tighter for 4.

Megatron is dead, are they going to use Galvatron?....Starscream bit the dust, Ironhide, Jazz, Shockwave....Cybertron even went boom....And they're not going to reboot the series, but tie it in?

I think the new direction is basically a new human cast. The robot continuity seems to be the same.

I think the new direction is basically a new human cast. The robot continuity seems to be the same.

That's what I'm referring to....I mean the main bad guys are dead.... What are they going to do, bring Six Shot out or Galvatron? I mean it will seriously be stupid to revive Megatron again, after basically being decapitated (head shredded)....he died twice, I love the whole Prime Vs Megatron thing, but even Prime only died once either time he died.... I don't see how they can possibly continue the story where they left it. As it was, it was a great ending, the war was over, Megatron was dead, they lost Cybertron, but saved Earth....let it go already. Reboot already.

That's what I'm referring to....I mean the main bad guys are dead.... What are they going to do, bring Six Shot out or Galvatron? I mean it will seriously be stupid to revive Megatron again, after basically being decapitated (head shredded)....he died twice, I love the whole Prime Vs Megatron thing, but even Prime only died once either time he died.... I don't see how they can possibly continue the story where they left it. As it was, it was a great ending, the war was over, Megatron was dead, they lost Cybertron, but saved Earth....let it go already. Reboot already.

It did seem as though TF3 was going to be the final one, but Paramount, Bay and Hasbro love money too much. Besides, the producers want to use the same robot models. The humans might change, but the robots stay the same. LOL! They killed off Cybertron, Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave.

I guess they might utilize some of the other Decepticon leaders from TF canon. In some canons, Galvatron was a different character from Megatron.

Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge? I could easily see that happening, along with other season three guys such as Hot Rod, Blurr, Kup and Ultra Magnus joining Optimus and Bumblebee on Earth.

Well, they are printed on the back of official Mattel Masters of the Universe Classics action figures, so I'm not sure how much more official you can get. Also, DC Comics has used elements of them a few times, so it appears that Mattel sees them as binding, too.

Interesting - many thanks.
I suppose that, now having read-up on them, I see some distinction to be drawn between the Bios per se (with, as you point out, approved sanction) and the fanfiction-esque narrative which (sort-of) accompanies them - which I can't really see as having an "official" status or canonical authority beyond that of any other fanfiction.

But it was intriguing to see what the Bios said, all the same. I'm glad to have had the steer.

Of course there are major spoilers in both reviews and they are just my opinions, feel free to agree or disagree as much as you like.

I like it - harsh - but fair.

(And, personally, I thought #2 was better than #1) Why can't DC produce a quarter-way decent MotU comic? It can't be all THAT hard, for goodness sake!

And - oh - the deathless prose of Giffen: "It's almost too much to take in. A pan-dimensional vampire, armies that are more machine than man.." Many a true word spoken in jest. Unless it wasn't a jest; in which case - could it be self-referential parody? That, however, would require a degree of contextual awareness which has patently been absent from all his previous MotU work. So, in the end, it comes down to very bad writing. Again.

Like Scriptor said - harsh, but fair review. Though could you try not to use too many female-exclusive insults for Teela? Even just calling her a "cow" can come off as anti-woman, to say nothing of some more severe insults.

well to pu tyour mind at rest be assured that I do not call her those things because she is a woman, it is because of the way she acts. If other characters become as annoying as her I shall call them just the same whether they are male or female.

Still I have changed cow to annoyance, but the B-word stays because really that is the best word I can think of to describe this version of Teela.

The problems with Teela's current portrayal come from DC's well-publicized hatred of women in the last few years. The writers CANNOT imagine a strong, capable woman without making her a vicious jerk, or a complete ****, or both. So the level-headed, responsible-yet-strong Teela got replaced with this new annoyance because that's just how they view women.